US government will ban Kaspersky antivirus software due to ties to Russia

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Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

• The Biden administration, using powers created by the Trump administration, will ban Kaspersky software in the United States.
• The reasoning behind the ban is Kasperskys ties to the Russian government and the security threat that suggests.
• New sales are likely to end in July, and current users will need to stop using it by the end of September.

Today, the United States government under the Biden administration announced an upcoming sweeping ban of Kaspersky software. Kaspersky is most well-known for its antivirus programs that protect Windows machines, but it also has several other types of programs and*a robust library of Android apps. Its most popular Android app, VPN & Antivirus by Kaspersky, has over 100 million installs.

Reuters reports that the ban will come in two waves. First, new sales of Kaspersky products will need to cease in the US within 30 days of the bans official announcement, which is likely to land in the coming days. That means that by the end of July, Kaspersky software and licenses will no longer be sold in the US. The second wave will begin 100 days after the official announcement of the ban, which will likely be the end of September. At this point, all usage of Kaspersky software, licenses, and white-label products with Kaspersky technology underneath must end. The 100-day window is to give businesses time to invest in alternatives to Kasperskys offerings.




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